CA1039238A - Adjustable single-beam gantry - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure A load-handling gantry having a single, unitary, bridging beam, and leg, brace and mounting components supporting said beam with provision for adjustment of gantry span, height, and spread, while maintaining gantry mobility. The mounting components are adjustable to enable use of the gantry in a number of configurations including inboard, outboard, and combination leg bracing, and with freedom for use under cantilever conditions. In the preferred embodiment, a predetermined camber, or longitudinal splay angle, of the plane of each pair of legs is provided, to decrease movement between the gantry legs and the beam, in the direction lengthwise of the beam, when the gantry is under load, thereby stabilizing the gantry in that sense. The selected splay angle is maintained by means which couple the leg bracing struts to the beam and to the legs. Any selected angle, under the various arrangements of leg bracing, may be had, and may be maintained, by such coup-ling means, which provide alteration of the effective bracing strut length, without the necessity of actually substituting struts of different lengths.
Lateral clearance between the beam, and the legs and bracing struts, is main-tained in the various configurations, at a value such as to permit free move-ment of the leg and strut assemblies along the length of the beam, and also a measure of lateral flexibility of the gantry. All adjustments relative to the beam may be made through external frictional gripping means, cooperable with a standard imperforate beam.

Description

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My invention relates to load-handling gantries of the type having a load-carrying member, such as a bridging I-beam, which is supported at ;
longitudinally spaced stations by pairs of braced and variably divergent legs.
The legs and braces are associated with the upper flange of the I-beam, and its lower flange commonly carries a trolley from which a load may be movably suspended and may be raised and lowered by a hoist or the like.
The development of several prior gantries is typified by United States patents 2,990,788, 2,995,094, 3,490,385 and 3,826,196, granted, respectively, on July 4, 1961, August 8, 1961, January 20, 1970 and July 30, ~`~
1974. These gantries provide features of adjustability, including variation `~
in leg length and divergence; and one patented embodiment, beeause o the use of a main I-beam in conjunction with a pair of auxiliary I-beam sections, is usable in a variety of configurations including what has become known as inboard, outboard, and combination leg bracing. Also, because of its triple `
I-beam, this patented construction has afforded adjustability of gantry span, and provision of beam overhang.
In brief, those earlier patented gantries have, individually, various features of adjustability, and utility in various configurations.
However, this has not been achieved without acceptance of a number of shortcomings, principally in that, to realize the greatest adjustability; it ' .~, .. :. .
has been necessary to accept a three-part bridging beam structure, and to aperture both the web and flanging to accept movable mounting bolts.
A further shortcoming was the loss of headroom due to the double I-beam used. A still further disadvantage came from the added weight of the extra I-beam members. A further disadvantage was the added cost due to the extra I-beams and related hardware, which sometimes increased the cost of gantries by 20% to 30%.
It is the general object of the present invention to provide a load-handling gantry which overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of known gantries.
Thus, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided in a load-handling gantry, a single, generally-horizontal beam -1- ' ~ . .

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having an upright web and lateral flanging extending lengthwise thereof, pairs of supporting legs, normally spaced-apart lengthwise o the beam, the legs of each pair diverging downwardly when in use and clearing the beam with :,.. : ~
freedom for sliding motion therealong, mounting means for the legs including i: : ':.
saddle structure spanning the width of the flanging in slideable engagement therewith and configured to embrace said flanging and be externally clamped ..
thereon at various selectable stations by frictional engagement therewith, and adapted to support the beam from the legs, and means pivotally associat-ing the upper ends of the legs with said mounting means and providing a first " . ~ ~ : ,. . .
10 leg pivot axis extending lengthwise of the beam, to accommodate variable !'~
divergent spread of the legs with lateral clearance between legs and beam, and a second leg pivot axis extending in the direction of the width of the ~^ ;
beam, and providing for adjustment of the angle of the leg with respect to f'~
the length of the beam.
, According to another aspect of the invention there is provided in a load-handling gantry, a single, unitary, bridging beam in combination with .
.... . .
leg, brace, and mounting components so supporting said beam as to provide adjustment of gantry span, height, and~spread, and use of the gantry in a r~
number of leg and brace configuratlons said components comprislng legs arranged in pairs with the legs of each pair spanning the beam, and extending ;~
downwardly and diverging laterally of the beam; a bracing strut associated with, and disposed to brace, each leg; a pair of-rod-like mounting assemblies ~:~
each supported directly upon said unitary bridging beam, movable along the beam to selected positions to vary the span between said assemblies, and including clamping means frictionally securing said assemblies in said : positions; and means for coupling upper portions of the legs of each pair, : .
and of the bracing struts for said legs, to a corresponding one of said assemblies, and establishing, between the coupled upper portions of each leg and its strut, a distance which is substantially fixed, said means for coupling also including apparatus coupling a lower portion of each bracing strut to an intermediate portion o~ its corresponding leg, in a position in which each strut extends upwardly and away from its leg, said mounting .
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assemblies and coupling means being so configured, and disposed with respect to each other and to said beam, as to afford lateral clearance between the ;- :
beam, legs, and struts sufficient to permi~ location of said assemblies, with their coupled legs and struts, at various positions along the length of said ~ -beam, and said coupling means further being adjustable, while substantially ; .
maintaining said fixed distance, to accommodate arrangement of the bracing struts for the legs of both pairs in configurations either inboard or out~
board of the legs thereof, or in configuration in which the bracing struts : ~
on one leg pair are arranged inboard and the bracing struts of the other leg `~ ~:
pair are arranged outboard. ~ -According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided ` :
in a load-handling gantry, a flanged bridging beam in combination with leg, brace, and mounting components so supporting said beam as to provide adjust- ' .
ment of ga~try span, height, and spread, and use of the gantry in a number of ~ .
leg and brace configurations including inboard, outboard, and combination leg bracing, said components including legs arranged in pairs with the legs of `~
each pair spanning the beam and extending downwardly and diverging laterally : -of the beam; a bracing strut associated with and disposed to brace each leg;
a pair of mounting assemblies supported upon said beam and each comprising rod means, and a pair of securement means spaced along each rod means and `.
carrying its associated rod means, each assembly extending in the direct;~~on ~
of the length of the beam and movable therealong to vary the span between . ::
assemblies, the pair of securement means of each assembly including clamp structure extending across the flange of the beam and frictionally embracing the same to hold the assemblies in selected positions along the beam; and `coupling means, in the region of said clamp structure, pinning upper end ;~
portions of the legs of a pair, and of the bracing strut for each such leg, to a corresponding one of said assemblies with freedom for pivotal leg and brace movements both longitudinally and laterally of the beam, and estab~
lishing, between the pinned end portions of each leg and its strut, a dis-tance which is substantially fixed in each of said number of configurations. ~;
In the accompanying drawings: ~ :
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Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic~ side elevational view of a gantry embodying the invention, with the legs and braces adjusted to provide what may be termed standard inboard bracing;
Figure 2 is a similar side elevational view with the legs and ^
braces adjusted to provide outboard bracing; .
Figure 3 is a side elevational view with the legs and braces adjusted to minimize the span between leg assemblies;
Figure 4 is a similar view depicting a cantilever beam arrangement; . ` -Figure 5 is another schematic side elevational view showing a com~

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bination inboard and outboard bracing arrangement;
Figure 6 is a schematic, isometric, overall view of the gantry;
Figure 7 is an enlarged, elevational, view of the upper:portion .- .
of the right hand leg and brace of Figure l;
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Figure 8 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 7i Figure 9 is an end view of the apparatus of Figure 7, as viewed .;~
from the right in Figure 7;
Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on the l me 10-10 of Figure 7, and looking toward the leg braces of Figure 7;
Figure 11 is a fragmentary view illustrating a modification in -~ :
which spaced adjusting holes are provided at the lower end of the brace to ~ `
cooperate with a pin of a collar fixedly carried by one leg section, whereby to vary the effective length of the brace; . ~;
Figure 12 is a detailed plan view of a clamp, or saddle, device ~or securing brace members to the I-beam;
Figure 13 is an assembly view of the right hand leg and inboard ^
brace member of Figure 1, but on a larger scale than Figure l; i - :
Figure 14 is an enlarged detail view of an adjustable sleeve device as it is employed in the apparatus of Figure 13; - .
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Figure 15 is an assembly view of the right hand leg and outboard brace member of Figure 2; on the scale of Figure 13;
Figure 16 is an enlarged detailed view of the adjustable sleeve device as it is employed in the apparatus of Figure 15; `~
Figure 17 shows a modified form of inboard leg bracing, employing, at the bottom of the brace memberj a collar having displaced, or staggered, ~ :
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pinning points, whereby to provîde for varying the effective length of the .: , brace;
Figure 18 is a vie~ similar to Figure 17, but illustrating the brace adjusted for outboard bracing; m~
. - .:;, -Figure 19 is a somewhat diagrammatic vie~, similar to Figures 1 to :

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6, illustrating the gantry adjusted for maximum height and minimum spread; and "'?'~
Figure 20 is a similar view showing the gantry adjusted for mini~
mum height and maximum spread.
With more detailed reference to the drawings, and initially to `~
Figures 1 to 6, it will be seen that the gantry comprises a single, unitary~ ;
imperforate, load-carrying member, or bridging beam 10. Preferably, and as shown, this bridging beam comprises a steel I-beam having a web 11, which is disposed generally vertically, when the gantry is erected for use, and upper ~-and lower horizontal flanges 12 and 13, respectively (see particularly Figures 9 and 10). Legs 14, also preferably of steel, are disposed in pairs which straddle the width of the beam, each leg extending outwardly and diverging laterally downwardly from the beam, as clearly appears in Figures 7 and 9.
Each pair o legs, and their mounting and coupling apparatus, including their ~ ;
individual leg bracing members, or struts 15, comprise a braced beam support means, and the supports provided by the two pairs of legs are each arranged at a station. The support means or apparatus at each of the stations, which are spaced-apart along the beam, are identical and a description of one support means may be taken as typical of both. Each leg of each pair com~
prises two telescopic sections. These are upper and lower sections when the gantry is in use, and they are identified at 14a and 14b in Figures 1, 6, 19 and 20. A telescopic tie-rod 16, of tubes 16a and 16b, adjustably inter-connects the lower leg sections 14b of a pair; and casters 17, desirably lockable (by means not illustrated), are disposed, one beneath each leg, and each caster is swivellable about an upright axis mounted in a bracket 16c. ;~
The casters provlde for ready portability and maneuvering of the gantry.
As shown in Figures 19 and 20, the gantry is adjustable as to height and spread, and pins 18 carried by collars 49 fixed to the upper leg sections 14a, are cooperable with apertures 19 to sacure the telescopic leg sections in the various desired positions; while similar pins 18 are cooper~
able with similar apertures 19 to secure the tie-rod sections 16a and 16b in

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their various positions of adjustment. Other parts involved in this assembly ^~
will be referred to hereinafter. ;
As noted early in this specification, the gantry is usable in a ~ ~;
wide variety of configurations, and degrees of span, several of the more basic -~
being shown in Figures 1 to 5. Mounting assemblies and coupling means are provided which make it a very simple matter to achieve the various adjustments ; ~ ;
of which the gantry is capable. These assemblies and means will be described in detail below, and for the present it is only necessary to point out that the legs 14 and their bracing struts 15 are so associated with one or the other of identical left and right-hand mounting assemblies, designated generally at 20 and 20'J as to have ample freedom for movement to different stations along the beam 10, and that the legs and struts are pivotally coupled to their mounting assemblies with freedom for pivotal movements in planes transverse the length of the beam.
Apart from variations in height, spread, and use of the gantry under conditions of uneven leg extensionj and the like, some of the various basic use conflgurations clearly appear from inspection of Figures 1 to 5, and 19 and 20. "~
In Figure 1 the gantry is illustrated, somewhat schematically and in side elevation, with its legs 14 and struts 15 adjusted to provide what `~
has been known as inboard bracing, that is, bracing in which the struts are disposed along the bridging beam inside, or "inboard", of the legs. This affords maximum leg spacing.
Figure 2 shows the gantry with its legs disposed somewhat closer to the beam center and the struts 15 arranged for what will now be understood `~
to be outboard bracing.
Figure 3 shows the gantr~ in the configuration ~hich affords minimum spacing between the braced legs 14. Inboard bracing is usually used `
under this condition since it eliminates the possibility of having legs 15 so close together as to result in instability. It should be noted that the con-^ 5 -:~3~3~

figurations shown in Figures 2 and 3 are both useful where there is limited ;
clearance available for the legs, in the direction of beam length. -Figure 4 shows a variation of inboard bracing in which one leg pair is moved toward the center of the beam, with the result that the beam may . , be used in cantilever. This configuration is useful :in a number of situations, for example when the gantry is used in removing objects from,~or lowering them, into, an excavation or other recessed area, pit, or the like.
Figure 5 further illustrates the versatil:lty of my gantry, which is there illustrated under a condition known as combination leg bracing ~one brace inboard, one outboard).
Significantly, all of these basic configurations, as ~ell as quantitative variations of each, are readily achieved by the use of a single beam from which the legs and struts have adequate spacing laterally of the -beam.
It will also be observed that, in each configuration, the desir~
able small camber, or outward splay angle ~in the illustrated apparatus about 1.5), is present, as is indicated in the figures by the vertical line V with respect to which each leg has the mentioned, slight, outward angularity in the direction of the length of the beam, Such camber, while not essential, ~5has a desirable stabilizing effect, as explained in patent 3,490,385. I.IL will be appreciated that the sRlay~angle V is the angle between a vertical plane and the plane defined by a pair of legs 14. In the past, in order to maintain this angle, while using the same brace struts, it has been necessary to reloc-ate the strut pivot point away from its normal pivot position, when the strut ;~is disposed for outboard bracing, or to substitute struts of different lengths.
In accordance with the present invention the required change in effective length of the strut is achieved by the use of very simple strut-coupling means described below. ~ ~
In all configurations it is possible to suspend the weight from ~ -the beam 10, in any of several suitable ways. However, it is usually slung ~ S

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'~,; ''~' ' from a hoist 21~ as by a cable or chain 21a (such as shown in Figure 1), with such hoist attached to a trolley 22 whose wheels 23 ride on the upper surface ~-of the lower flange 13 of the I-beam. Further description is not necessary herein, other than to point out that a pair of stops 24, 24 are spaced along the beam, being adjustably secured to the flange by a bolt 25, in a manner which will be understood by inspection of Figure 9. For simplicity in illus- ~ ;~
tration, the trolley has been shown only in Figure 1. However, comparison of ` ;~
Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5 illustrates that some relocation of the stops is desir-able, in the different configurat ~qs, in order to insure stability of the gan-try under load, and/or to take advantage of the available range of travel.
A pair of identical mounting assemblies 20, 20' are carried by the upper flange 12 of the I-beam, and, for ease in locating the parts between the several views of the drawing, the following should be considered as descriptive o the right-hand assembly 20'J in the presently preferred configuration, which is herein described and illustrated.
Each assembly includes mounting saddles, or clamping cross-ties dis-posed in pairs. Cross-ties 26 and 26' comprise the right-hand pair (Figures 7 and 8), while cross-ties 27 and 27' comprise the left-hand pair. The saddles formed by these two pairs are of similar construction, except that cross~ties 26, 26', to which the legs 14 are coupled, are of somewhat heavier construc- -~
tion than the cross-ties 27, 27', to which the brace struts 15 are coupled. '~
This di~erence shows to best advantage in Figures 7 and 8. Each saddle cross-tie has inwardly directed clamping ends seen at 28, 28 in saddles 26 and 26', and 29~ 29 in saddles 27 and 27' (Figure 10). The upper flange 12 of the I-beam is snugly received between these clamping ends of each saddle cross-tie, and it will be apparent that the spaced cross-ties can be slid along the I-beam to various locations (e.g. the locations shown in Figures 1 to 5), and fixed in any selected location by any convenient means which may take the form of the set screws 30 for each of cross-ties 26 and 26', and the similar set screws 31 for each of cross-ties 27 and 27'.

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When viewed in plan (Figure 8) it is seen that the cross-ties of each pair are spaced sufficiently to accommodate pin-carrying blocks, to be described in detail below. Each cross-tie is drilled to accommodate the re-duced diameter extensions 35 and 36 which are provided on the opposite ends of each of a pair of spacer rods 37, 37, and which extensions pass through outboard portions of the cross-ties, when the latter are viewed in plan. When . , the parts are assembled, the rods 37, 37 overlie the upper flange 12 of the beam, and maintain the requisite spacing between the pair of leg-coupling cross-ties 26, 26' and the pair of the strut-coupling cross-ties 27, 27'. The entire assembly may be readily repositioned along the beam, it being necessary of course to loosen the set screws 30 and 31. With the parts assembled as shown in Figures 7 to 10, that is, for inboard bracing, nothing further need be done. The beam end is shown on the right side of Figures 7 and 8, and if outboard bracing is required at that beam end, it is necessary to switch the positions of the cross-tie pairs on the beam.
Means is provided to couple the upper ands of the struts and legs to their respective saddle structures, and to couple the lower ends of each -strut to the leg it braces. Considering first the coupling to the saddle cross-ties of the mounting assemblies, and with exemplary reference to assem-bly 20', as shown in Figures 7 to 10, it will be observed that each cross-tie pair has therebetween the above mentioned pin-carrying blocks. Each block is rotatively mounted on an end extension of a corresponding spacer rod 37. Thus, between the cross-ties27, 27', there are a pair o blocks 38, 38 each of which carries a pivot pin 39, swîngable with the block to a position so angled as to receive its strut 15. Similarly, between the cross-ties, 26 and 26' are swingable blocks 40, 40 each of which has a pivot pin 41 to mount its associat-ed gantry leg 14. Each of the legs 14 has at its upper end a ferrule 42, fixedly associated with the top of the leg, and having oppositely positioned, confronting apertures through which projects the pin 41 (see particularly Figures 8 and 9). As best shown in Figure 9, the pivot pins each have a transverse bore through which extends the short locking pin 43 of a known `~
securement device which includes a wire loop 44 pivoted in the pin 43 and swing- -able to a position in which it is looped around pivot pin 41, and prevents ac-cidental dislodgement of the locking pin 43. When the legs are coupled to the -pins 41, 41, they may be swung on blocks 40 about axes provided by extensions 35 until they assume any desired lateral spread, between the limits shown in Figures 19 and 20. To accommodate such motions ~or adjustments) of the legs 14 about axes 35, at blocks 40, the foot ends of the legs are pivoted at 14c to the brackets 16c to which the cross-tie 16 is secured. It should also be noted that the casters 17 have vertical pivot axes in the respective brackets 16c. These axes remain parallel, under all leg adjustments.
A special feature of the embodiment shown in detail in Figures 7 to lO, as well as schematically in Figures 1 to 5, involves the manner in which ;
the bracing struts 15 are coupled to the mounting assemblies, with freedom for adjustment of the effective length of each strut when it is changed from in- ~ ;~
board to outboard bracing. As appears very clearly in Figures 7, 10, 14 and i~
16, the top of each strut, in this embodiment, has a ferrule or cap 45 which is slidably mounted on the strut 15. Each cap 45 is apertured to receive the ;~
strut pivot pin 39, which is preferably secured by locking pins of the kind al-ready described with respect to coupling of the legs 14. Each cap is al;o aper-tured to receive a cross-pin 46 which extends through an upper hole in the strut ~ ;
~Figures lO and 14), when inboard bracing is desired. Each strut also has a lower hole, or bore, 47 through which cross-pin 46 extends (Figure 16) when the effective length of the strut must be shortened to maintain the splay angle un-der conditions of outboard bracing. Any suitable means may be used to hold the cross-pin 46 releasably in the selected cross aperture of the strut. The lower ~-end of the strut 15 has a flattened portion 48 pinned to the collar or ring 49 i~
fixedly carried by the lower end of the upper telescopic leg section 14a, and apertured to receive the leg adjusting pins 18j as described above.
The manner in which this strut-coupling apparatus functions can be ,: ..

_ g _ appreciated by comparing the adjustments for inboard bracing, shown in Figures - -13 and 14, with the position of the parts under outboard bracing, as shown in Figures lS and 16.
Two modified arrangements for adjusting the effective length of the struts are also shown. In each of these the cap is fixed to the top of the ., ~ .
strut and the strut adjustment is effected at the bottom thereof.
In the modification shown in Figure 11, for example, the flatted portion 50 of the strut is provided with upper and lower apertures 50a and 50b, either of which can cooperate with a pin 51 which projects laterally from the , s,~
ring 52. As was the case with the first embodiment (with its ring ~9), the ring 52 is fixedly carried by the lower end of the upper telescopic leg sec~
tion 14a. Under inboard bracing shown in Figure 11, the pin 51 is located in the lower aperture 50b. The upper aperture 50a would be used when outboard bracing is desired, since the effective length of the strut must be shorter, in order to maintain the splay angle under such bracing.
Figures 17 and 18 illustrate yet another modification or coupling the lower end of the strut to the gantry leg, in such manner as to control the effective length of the strut in accordance with whether inboard or out~
board bracing is desired. In this embodiment the ring 53 which is secured to the lower end of the upper telescopic leg section has a pair of verticallv displaced pins facing laterally of the ring in opposite directions. An upper pin 54 extends through the single aperture of the flatted portion 55 of the strut under the inboard bracing shown in Figure 17, while the lower pin 56 cooperates with the aperture in the flatted portion when outboard bracing (Figure 18) is desired. Under either adjustment, as has been the case with preceding embodiments, the desired small splay angle is maintained under both inboard and outboard bracing.
It is usually desirable that the beam be centered between the supporting legs under the no load condition, that is, that the web of the beam extend substantially verticallv, forming equal angles with the axis of the - 10 - ~, "~:
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legs, as shown in Figure 9. For this purpose, one reduced end portion of each of the spacer rods, as illustrated by the left hand end portions 36, 36 in Figures 7 and 8, are provided with special torsion springs which encircle end portions 36, and react between the beam and each of the spacer rods to apply an equal torque to each rod, in order to centralize the beam between the leg ;~
supports. This apparatus is best illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and lO, and it comprises a coil spring having a central portion 57 wrapped around the reduced rod extension 36, an outboard portion 58 which is associated with the spacer rod in a manner described just below, as well as an inboard terminal end 59 :: , 10 (Figure 10) which extends downwardly, wraps under, and engages against the ;;~
adjacent edge of upper flange 12 of the I-beam. The outboard end 58 is wrapped about a pin 60, fixed to the reduced portion 36 of the spacer rod (Figures 7 ,..~ . - ..
and 8), and it will be appreciated that the two similar springs exert substan- ~i tially equal torsional force between the rods which carry the leg structure :.. . .
and the beam itself. This force is sufficient to center the beam in the desir-ed fashion, when the beam is not under load. At the opposite end of the spacer rods, that is in the vicinity of reduced projections 35, 35, disassembly of -the apparatus is prevented by utilizing a pin 61 which passes through an aper-ture provided in the extension 35. ;
From the foregoing description it will be understood that my im-proved gantry provides all the above-described features of adjustability, ;~ ~
including: variation in span between legs; variation in leg length and diver- ~; `
gence; and usability in a variety of configurations, including conditions of both inboard and outboard bracing; and, at the same time, mobility of the gantry. It is significant that the high degree of adjustability of this gantry, ~-is achieYed by~the use of a single unitary bridging beam, and that the appara-tus is featured by the unusal ease with which it may be adjusted, by its substantially lower weight and consequent lower cost (which may be as much as a 30% saving), and by correspondingly greater portability.
In the foregoing description, and the accompanying claims, .. ' .
) reference is made to certain elements as being upper or lower, or right-hand or left-hand, and the llke. It should be understood, however, that such terms .~ -of spatial relationship are used as a matter of convenience only, and that such expressions merely indicate the location of the parts in normal use of the gantry.

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Claims (17)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. In a load-handling gantry, a single, unitary, bridging beam in com-bination with leg, brace, and mounting components so supporting said beam as to provide adjustment of gantry span, height, and spread, and use of the gantry in a number of leg and brace configurations said components comprising: legs arranged in pairs with the legs of each pair spanning the beam, and extending downwardly and diverging laterally of the beam; a bracing strut associated with, and disposed to brace, each leg; a pair of rod-like mounting assemblies each supported directly upon said unitary bridging beam, movable along the beam to selected positions to vary the span between said assemblies, and in-cluding clamping means frictionally securing said assemblies in said positions;
and means for coupling upper portions of the legs of each pair, and of the bracing struts for said legs, to a corresponding one of said assemblies, and establishing, between the coupled upper portions of each leg and its strut, a distance which is substantially fixed, said means for coupling also including apparatus coupling a lower portion of each bracing strut to an intermediate portion of its corresponding leg, in a position in which each strut extends upwardly and away from its leg, said mounting assemblies and coupling means being so configured, and disposed with respect to each other and to said beam, as to afford lateral clearance between the beam, legs, and struts sufficient to permit location of said assemblies, with their coupled legs and struts, at various positions along the length of said beam, and said coupling means fur-ther being adjustable, while substantially maintaining said fixed distance, to accomodate arrangement of the bracing struts for the legs of both pairs in con-figurations either inboard or outboard of the legs thereof, or in configuration in which the bracing struts on one leg pair are arranged inboard and the brac-ing struts of the other leg pair are arranged outboard.

2. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 1, and in which said bridging beam includes a generally vertical web having, at least along its upper edge, generally horizontal, laterally extending, flanging, and each mounting assem-bly comprises: spaced saddle structure overlying and slidably and frictionally embracing said flanging; and a pair of rods passing through and releasably secured to said saddle structure and establishing the spacing therebetween.

3. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 2, and in which said coupling means includes: a plurality of rotatable members, one for each leg and strut, each said member being mounted for rotation upon one of said rods adjacent one said saddle structure, and carrying pin means disposed for releasable engage-ment with corresponding coupling means of each leg and strut.

4. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 3, and in which the said corres-ponding coupling means, at the upper end of each strut, comprises a sleeve apertured to receive one of said pin means, and securable to its strut in ei-ther of two positions, one of said positions being such as to shorten the ef-fective length of the strut as compared with its length in the other of said positions.

5. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 2, and further including spring means reacting between the beam and each said rod, to stabilize the legs and struts of the gantry, when not under load, in a position in which the web of said beam is disposed generally centrally with respect to the diverging paired legs.

6. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 1, in which the legs of one pair are splayed, with respect to the legs of the other pair, at a predetermined small angle measured lengthwise of the beam, and in which said coupling means includes an instrumentality adjustable to provide for changing the effective length of any strut, when coupled for outboard bracing, as compared with its effective length, when coupled for inboard bracing, whereby to maintain the splay angle in any of said configurations while maintaining said fixed distance.

7. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 6, and in which said instrumen-tality comprises a sleeve carried by an upper end portion of the strut and adjustable in the direction of the length of the strut.

8. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 6, and in which said instrumen-tality is disposed toward the lower end of the strut and provides two means for coupling the lower end of the strut to said corresponding leg, one of said latter means being utilizable, when the strut is coupled for outboard bracing, and serving to shorten the effective length of the strut.

9. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 8, and in which said two means comprise two apertures provided at different regions along said strut.

10. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 6, and in which said instrumen-tality is carried by said corresponding leg to be braced, and provides for securement of the lower end of the strut to the corresponding leg at either of two levels.

11. In load-handling gantry, a single, generally-horizontal beam having an upright web and lateral flanging extending lengthwise thereof, pairs of supporting legs, normally spaced-apart lengthwise of the beam, the legs of each pair diverging downwardly when in use and clearing the beam with freedom for sliding motion therealong, mounting means for the legs including saddle structure spanning the width of the flanging in slideable engagement therewith and configured to embrace said flanging and be externally clamped thereon at various selectable stations by frictional engagement therewith, and adapted to support the beam from the legs, and means pivotally associating the upper ends of the legs with said mounting means and providing a first leg pivot axis extending lengthwise of the beam, to accomodate variable divergent spread of the legs with lateral clearance between legs and beam, and a second leg pivot axis extending in the direction of the width of the beam, and providing for adjustment of the angle of the leg with respect to the length of the beam.

12. The construction of Claim 11 with diagonal leg braces each having its lower end coupled to a leg, said braces having pivot means at their upper ends carried by said saddle structure.

13. The construction of Claim 11 with means to variably position the divergent spread of the legs.

14. The construction of Claim 11 wherein the legs have means of adjust-ment as to length, so that the gantry is adjustable as to height, spread, and span, without requiring the addition or substitution of other parts.

15. The construction of Claim 11 with means for adjusting leg angle lengthwise of the beam.

16. In a load-handling gantry, a flanged bridging beam in combination with leg, brace, and mounting components so supporting said beam as to provide adjustment of gantry span, height, and spread, and use of the gantry in a num-ber of leg and brace configurations including inboard, outboard, and combina-tion leg bracing, said components including: legs arranged in pairs with the legs of each pair spanning the beam and extending downwardly and diverging laterally of the beam; a bracing strut associated with and disposed to brace each leg; a pair of mounting assemblies supported upon said beam and each comprising rod means, and a pair of securement means spaced along each rod means and carrying its associated rod means, each assembly extending in the direction of the length of the beam and movable therealong to vary the span between assemblies, the pair of securement means of each assembly including clamp structure extending across the flange of the beam and frictionally em-bracing the same to hold the assemblies in selected positions along the beam;
and coupling means, in the region of said clamp structure, pinning upper end portions of the legs of a pair, and of the bracing strut for each such leg, to a corresponding one of said assemblies with freedom for pivotal leg and brace movements both longitudinally and laterally of the beam, and establishing, between the pinned end portions of each leg and its strut, a distance which is substantially fixed in each of said number of configurations.

17. Apparatus according to Claim 16, and further characterized in that the clamp structure of each assembly is removable from frictional association with the beam flange, to accomodate selective end-to-end reversal of either assembly on the beam, and arrangement of the bracing struts for the legs of a pair in configurations either inboard or outboard of the legs of such pair.